Splinters

By Mary Kennelly, Brenda Fitzmaurice

Mary Kennelly and Brenda Fitzmaurice launch another collaborative book of poetry and paintings.

This project, which is a heart-rendering examination of what it means to affect the lives of others, centres around one character - the first century carpenter’s son and his extraordinary impact on the lives of those who came into contact with him.

The book is a combination of thirty-three poems and paintings dealing with new perspectives on the Gospel, which has captivated so many minds. This creative undertaking is never shy to ask what it means to devote yourself to someone, the grief of death, and life after the loss of a loved one.

Reviews

The higher the art, the fewer the gestures. The subtle gestures in these pages come in the form of evocative images and words of the age-old story as seen through the eyes  of those who saw Him on the street, who touched His cloak, sought His forgiveness, watched His crucifixion. None of them, from the leper to the centurion were left unmoved. This fresh and compelling creative collection will not leave the reader unmoved.

Tom Kenny          

Mary and Brenda have produced a truly magnificent book...I love the poems for their lyricism, revelations, heart-lifting moments, joy, sadness, wisdom and wit...and Brenda's paintings have a unique magic; they take me off into another world where I am very happy to go.

Brendan Kennelly     

This view of Jesus, related by and through people, whose voices and actions have been deliberately muted by men and time, shows a Christ that is more human, more fallible, more loving, and, perhaps, more selfish. In the great tradition of women artists and poets, Kennelly and Fitzmaurice bring a female sensibility to the story of Christianity's origins, a story of love, of sacrifice and, importantly, of women.

Mary McAuliffe